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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23778607">Meeting Rhett or Why is the Lord laughing?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braxdovah/pseuds/Braxdovah'>Braxdovah</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Vampire: The Masquerade, White Wolf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:48:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23778607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braxdovah/pseuds/Braxdovah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which a newly embraced childer is presented</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Meeting Rhett or Why is the Lord laughing?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The receiving room is immense for the small number it currently holds. The opulent decorations convey a manner of restraint that the recently rich rarely manage. If the Prince Regent had sat upon the throne at the dais, he would have appeared to be a child playing at king. </p><p>Mathias grips Rhett’s arm that appears to be a firm forceful grip but were it not for Rhett stepping forward they would have taken forever to reach just below the dais where Desmond sits and Millicent stands. </p><p>“Lord Desmond, Lady Millicent. I present to you my childer. And humbly ask your forgiveness for embracing him preemptively but I dared not risk him slipping from our grasp.” </p><p>Rhett looks him over and after a brief bow, meets Millicent’s eyes with a smile. Mathias is visibly nervous. The faint sheen of a blood sweat glazing his brow. </p><p>Millicent raises an eyebrow. “Come forward childe. Tell us of yourself.”</p><p>Desmond's eyes narrow at the words, his usually statuesque posture shifting, becoming ramrod straight and attentive. The cane he always carries is shifted in his hands, slender fingers tapping against it twice in a series of slow rhythms. His sightless eyes are focused in the general direction of the two being presented. <br/>"... I was not aware that you were Embraced, Mathias, in order to take the most... inelegant approach to problems that arose for you."</p><p>Rhett steps forward, two slow measured steps. As he opens his mouth to speak, Mathias rushes forward and takes a knee. “I can explain, Lord Desmond.” Rhett seizes his shoulder. “No, you cannot. I can. He knew me to be Rhett Bolton, last scion of the Bolton line. Sadly, this was not quite the complete truth.” </p><p>Millicent’s eyebrows shoot into her hairline. “Explain.” Her voice is even, but something dark lingers just behind her eyes.</p><p>“Let me put i' dis way, I was terribly convincing, madam.” Mathias whimpers and Rhett laughs softly. When he speaks again the cockney accent has vanished and the illusion of a noble is no longer shattered. “I convinced the entirety of high society that I was the last of an extant line. I had been aiming for a marriage and seem to have found myself here. I am certain the two of you are clever enough to find use in my skills.” </p><p> </p><p>As Rhett spoke, Desmond's fingers continued to beat out an ever increasing rhythm, his sightless eyes narrowing. <br/>But at the full explanation, he stops - statue still... and then a sound that hasn't escaped him in at least three decades can be heard. <br/>Laughter. </p><p> </p><p>Her eyes dart immediately to Desmond. “Father...I fail to see what is so amusing…” She casts her gaze, then to Mathias.</p><p>"How is it not?" Desmond's lips quirk in the faintest of smiles. <br/>"Here stands a mortal so beguiling, so manipulative, that he has deceived even one of us... we who are the architects and princes of high society. We who defined the game, the Jyhad and how it is played... It is refreshing to be surprised...” <br/>And yet his humor is short-lived, fading quickly as he considers the other. <br/>“Though I would question how closely this one was monitored, and how effective Mathias’ skills of observation are...” </p><p>“I cannot answer to that.” He releases his grip, studying Millicent once more. Mathias stutters. “I watched him very closely. How was I to know he was a fraud? He had everything the accent, the clothes, the social graces.” </p><p>“Silence, whelp.” Her eyes still locked on Mathias. She slowly approaches her great grandchilder. “You have proven yourself to be less than useful time and again. But, please. I am interested. Tell me how long <br/>you watched this...Creature before you embraced him.” Millicent gestures to Rhett, giving him a cold once over before returning her gaze to Mathias.</p><p>Mathias swallows and attempts to meet Millicent’s level gaze. “He appeared at the beginning of the season.” Rhett whispers softly, “Three months before the season began.” </p><p>She stiffens at Rhett’s words and shoots him a disgusted look before returning her focus to the sniveling waste before her. Every muscle in her body tenses as she raises her left hand. She takes a moment to regard the ring on her middle finger, then brings the back of her hand down onto Mathias’ face, slicing the flesh with the stone. “Speak no more to me. And you…” she turns back to Rhett. “Start to finish. Now.”</p><p>“I was presenting myself as Lord Bolton to arrange a marriage and last night, I was attacked and now find myself here attempting to explain my get rich scheme to a very dangerous- I don’t quite know what you are.” </p><p>A sadistic smile splits her face. “Oh, so you don't know.” She composes herself and smiles kindly to him. “You are like us now.”</p><p>“I am quite aware I should not have survived a knife to my ribs. This is not hell. Despite the stunning beauty you possess, no angel should smile so cruelly.” Rhett looks from her to the man beside him. “What sort of crude and inelegant vampire, are you?”</p><p>“... What sort of crude and inelegant creature indeed...” Desmond echoes. While his expression has remained neutral until a point, his disdain is beginning to bleed through into his voice and his eyes. “And to present this fledgling without even the basest explanation of what he is...” </p><p>Mathias shrinks at the words, before turning on Rhett with a snarl. “Kneel, bastard.” The command catches him by surprise and he complies. </p><p>“Mathias…” Her tone is icy and hard. “I fail to see how you are in any position to give commands to anyone. I suggest, if you value your life, you lay there, make yourself as small as you can, and pray I forget you are there.”</p><p>“... Clearly Mathias’ education is lacking.” Desmond’s voice is like ice. “Clearly, we have failed him somewhere along the line... either that, or his weakness is a recent development. I cannot say that I am pleased with him, either way...” <br/>His fingertips will once again tap a faint rhythm against his cane. <br/>“... the fledgling holds promise. At the very least he is yet untainted by Mathias’ failings, and clever enough to get this far.”  </p><p>Rhett stands slowly and distances himself from Mathias. “I have shown you who I have been and who I could be. Who I was does not matter.” </p><p>Millicent rests her gaze on Rhett. “Child, please join my Father over there.” She gestures to Desmond. “Your first lesson begins now. You are now of the clan of Kings; a Ventrue. We do not tolerate failure.” She turns to Mathias, helps him to his feet, removes the stick from her hair, and plunges it into Mathias’ chest.</p><p>Rhett moves up onto the dias, without a glance back at Mathias as she torpored him. He stops just within reach of Desmond. “As you say, madam.” The words lack the simpering that would have come from Mathias, a simple acknowledgment of facts. </p><p>Desmond's eyes will close at the sound of his childe taking the reins of their problematic family member, a soft sigh escaping him.<br/>"My daughter is correct. We do not tolerate failures without punishment... and we do not tolerate those that do not learn from the punishments we have judged them fit for." <br/>His eyes will open, and flick in the general direction of the fledgling standing nearby. <br/>"You may have been born from common stock, childe, but in time, you will build and topple empires under our watchful guidance."</p><p>“Now that sounds like a challenge. Not to imply you are incapable madame, but perhaps I should dispose of the body? After all, no need for you to muss yourself with him further.” </p><p>Millicent looks at Rhett and raises her eyebrow, then begins to laugh. “He’s not quite dead. He is likely aware of what we’re saying now. So that gives me the opportunity to teach you both lesson number two: Failure always has its consequences. Mathias will spend the next while in a box awaiting my decision of what to do with him.”</p><p>Rhett pauses and nods. “As you desire, my lady. And of my immediate fate, if you do not mind illuminating me.”</p><p>Millicent looks to Desmond. “Father, do you have any opposition to testing the young one? He's not quite what we would hope for, but he does seem to show promise...And a willingness to learn.” With the last bit, Millicent's eyes return to Rhett. She raises her eyebrow in anticipation of his agreement.</p><p>Desmond's gaze will flick towards Millicent's direction at her words. It takes a few moments of consideration before he speaks. <br/>"... Though he is not of the stock we would usually prefer, his abilities interest me." He nods. "He seems a suitable candidate despite the circumstances of his birth. If he survives his accounting - and the Agoge - he will prove to be a valuable asset. It's clear that he already is beginning to understand the chain of authority."</p><p>Rhett meets Millicent’s gaze, staying silent. </p><p>Millicent instructs a maid to ready a room for Rhett. As the maid scampers away, she turns back to the fledgling. “Alright, Childe. We will see how you do. For now, you need nourishment and a good day’s sleep. You are about to embark on a very rigorous journey. Your mettle will be tested to its extreme. For the time being feel free to explore the estate. Enjoy tonight as it will likely be the last you get to yourself for a while.”</p>
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